San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-04-09
Is he MARRIED ?

the Strange Marital Complications OF
Well Known Resident of this City.
"The peculiarites OF the laws relat-
ing to marriage bring many serious
com plications," said a prominent San
Antonio lawyer to LIGHT reporter.
The law differs In many states and
therefore what may be legal marriage
In one state is Illegal in another.
Then again strange questions arise on
informal marriages, where no license is
obtained and no ceremony observed be-
yond mere cOhsbitatiOn. As rule, the
law regards marriage simply as a civil
contract, not as a religious ceremony,
and Oftentimes Ii is well that this is so,
for by this means many women, who
would have been otherwise dishonored.
have secured justice. By-the-way, q
well known san Antonian has recently
consulted me upon what Ia to him an
important matter, and the facts Of his
case are go romantic as to be interest
ing. For years ne has been engaged to
lady who resides In Kansas.-No.
| cannot give you the lady's name
for he guards her secret so well that he
would not even give 1t 10 me. In the
fall OF 1885, he visited her at her home
and stayed there for some time. It
was not then convenient for them to be
publicly married, SO deed was drawn
up and signed by both parties, agreeing
from that day to recognize one another
as husband and wife and that all rights
and privileges should be enjoyed in the
same way as if married by a minister
or Justice. 1t was further agreed thar
the contract should be ratified and CON
firmed by religious ceremony, publicly
performed, to take place on q certain
day or rs soon thereafter as possibl,
Under this contract the marriage was
contaminated, but none were aware Of
the relationship that existed between
item. AT the end of q week the gentle
man lief: to go to Chicago, intending to
return In month, and wed the lady
publicly. Urgent mining interests COM
PEELED him to return to Texas and his Wis
1t to the lady was indefinitely postponed.
In the meantime the Husband and
wife," affectionately correspondent and
the correspondence shows plainly that
they recognized the relationship exist
ing between them; moreover the gentle
man describes the lady as his wife In his
life insurance policy, and in deed he
made In her favor. While on the way
to wed her publicly, he became sick, and
was non compos mentis for over year,
having no means OF communicating with
any one. The lady made. diiigent en-
quiry for him, but failed to trace him,
and then, believing that he had betrayed
her, she welded an estimable and
wealthy citizen OF her state. A short
time ago the gentleman recovered bis
reason, searched for his wife, and found,
to his horror, that she had married. IN
der the laws OF Kansas, confirmed by q
recent decision Of the supreme court, the
first marriage is rs legal rs II il had been
publicly and religiousy solemnized, the
second marriage is illegal, anu
the lady has innocently committed
bigamy. The gentleman loves the lady
too we'll to betray her secret or expose
her to degradation, and at this late hour
divorce proceedings by either party to
annul the first marriage, II really de-
sired, are out of the question, because Of
the exposure. This matter will be
hushed up, and as the secret lie in such
few hands it will be well kept. This
places the gentleman In an awkward pO-
sition. for. If he should meet a lady and
desire to wed her, II his fret wife lives.
he must either expose the latter by d.
vorce proceedings or wrong his second
by an illegal marriage, and issue by the
bigamous marriage might then further
complicate matters. Fortunately, this
is not likely, as he is one of the few men
who cherish single love, and though he
realizes the Tact that She is dead to him,
he still idOlizes her. and, If 1 mistake
not, he will continue thus to his LIES
end, rejoicing in any sacrifice that he
makes for her sake.
The moral OF this Incident is. II you
marry be careful that you are welded
publicly in the prescribed form OF the
law, and, above all, avoid the complica-
tions that are likely to arise from an in
formal marriage.